Death Panels

Politics is an interesting sport to watch. Always remember that the policitican will put their own spin on whatever news they want to comment on. Thats why we had phrases such as "death panels" or "end of life care" or "counseling" used to describe certain procedures contained in the health care bill that may or may not be passed by congress.
Let' deal with some reality for a moment.
Several years ago when Roe vs. Wade became law, there were many who said the next step will be euthanasia of our elderly. That is where, for whatever reason, we either allow or assist an elderly person to die. Those supporting Roe v. Wade said that was not true and was just a scare tactic by those opposed to abortion.
My own opinion is that when you devalue life at anytime, you devalue life at all time.
There are political leaders who feel that the government knows best for all of us and we must trust them to make the tough calls about life issues.
We are now some approaching 40 years since abortion was endorsed by our government. Are we any closer to sending the elderly out to the permanant pasture?
Let's look to our friends up north who already have government controlled health care. According to the "Montreal Gazette" the time is come for them to debate euthanasia. One quote I found quite interesting was when the president of Quebec medical specialists told a National Assembly, "...the issue of euthanasia could not be discussed in Quebec 50 years ago, and compared it with evolution in thinking about abortion." He contined, "And like abortion, he said, limits must be established...It's a cascade, We can't invent it. We see it. There are safeguards."
Politicians, as stated earlier, will always shade their story to their spin. But just as Canada has shown us, once you start down the path of making life and death decisions at any time for any reason, then the slippery slop will eventually get to you and me.
You see, the law allows a person to abort regardless of reason. After we have been down that slippery slope, can we see in the future a son come in and say its time to put dad down because I need my inheritance now and not six months from now?
Who are we to define the quality of someone's life?
Who are we to define the time period that should be allowed?
I do not want some government committee to decide my time is up.
Jim

Heros still Live

Once in a while you come across a story about some men forgotten long ago, yet they still need to be remembered.
It was in the early hours of February, 1943, and the U.S. Army troopship "Dorchester" steamed in the icy waters about 100 miles off the coast of Greenland. The ship was carrying some 900 men.
At 12:55am a torpedo from a German sub ripped into the side and immediately the ship started to sink. Desperate soldiers rushed topside, stumbling toward lifeboats and even jumping overboard.
In the midst of all this confusion, four Army chaplains worked quietly, calming the troops down, directing men toward the lifeboats and handing out life jackets. When the supply of life jackets ran out these four chaplains gave their own to other men.
The four chaplains and their names: Jewish rabbi Alexander Goode, Catholic priest John Washington, and protestant ministers George Fox and Clark Poling.
As the ship slid beneath the surface, soldiers in the lifeboats took one last look at the "Dorchester". They saw the four chaplains standing on deck, arms linked, praying.
They paid the ultimate price. They could have been saved. They could have taken care of themselves first.
Even in the challenging times we live in, stories like this one remind me of the good that is still in many people. There are men and women all over the world living their faith out in hostile places and situations.
I do not know the truth of this next statement but I believe it to be so. When we get to heaven, the ones closet to Jesus will not be the famous preacher or powerful, rich believers. It will be the ones whose names we do not know on earth, but heaven sings their praises.
Jim Lagrone